Dispensing container



Feb. 16, 1960 F. A. SENGER 2,925,100

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 10, 1958 INVENTOR.

Fran/r A. Sawyer DISPENSING CONTAINER Frank A. Sanger, Watchung, N.J., assignor to Ortho 'llharmaceutrcal Corporation, a corporation of New ersey Application February), 1958, Serial No. 714,383

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-27) cerned especially with a combined container and dispenser that 1s convenient and highly satisfactory in use and which is capable of being produced economically. Inexpensive single use applicators that may be employed on a single occasion and immediately thereafter destroyed are packaged within the container, which is adapted for ready removal and filling of the applicators.

Heretofore it has been the practice to introduce viscous liquid or jelly-like pharmaceutical formulations which are used for the treatment of vaginal infections or for contraception into the vagina by means of an applicator whichhas been filled with the pharmaceutical formulation from a large supply-storage tube of the collapsible type. It has been customary to use the same applicator repeatedly and on each occasion it is necessary to fit the supply tube to the applicator and collapse the supply tube so as to discharge 'therefrom into the applicator the desired amount of formulation. It is then necessary to detach the supply tube from the applicator, close the supply tube and return it to the shelf. This procedure obviously has many disadvantages, among which is the mechanical unhandiness of the several above-mentioned manipulations.

A serious disadvantage of the above-described practice of the prior art entails reuse of the mechanical applicator. This disadvantage is readily appreciated in connection with instances where a vaginal infection is being tfeated since on each occasion the patient is subjected to the possibility of reinfection unless the applicator is adequately sterilized after each use. While adequate sterilization is entirely feasible and possible, it is a time consuming task; the trouble of doing so is objectionable.

This invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the practices of the prior art by supplying single application dispensers, i.e. those adapted for use on only one occasiomwhich, nevertheless, provide all of the advantages of prior devices.

In providing a dispenser for immediate disposition after use, the economic factor becomes paramount; such an article must possess many important characteristics and yet must be capable of being manufactured at a very low cost, objectively of course, at the lowest possible cost. To overcome the disadvantages mentioned in preceding paragraphs, attempts have been made to manufacture single use applicators capable of storing the pharmaceutical preparation over an extended period of time in a manner such that the formulation will not be attacked by the atmosphere or by the materials of fabrication of the dispenser itself. This requires that the construction be such that the water and alcohol content, or other volatile content, of the pharmaceutical formulation does not escape during the storage period between manufacture and United States Patent i 2,925,100 Patented Feb. 16, 1960 use. The necessity for this type of construction greatly increases the cost of manufacture.

The present invention may utilize the most simple and inexpensive type of disposable applicator consisting only -of two telescoping tubes, one of which is closed at one factory mechanically speaking.

time as the composition is to be dispensed.

Accordingly, an object ofthis invention is to provide a package which contains a plurality of single use applicators in combination with a central reservoir containing a pharmaceutical formulation so arranged that the applicators 'may be removed singly and conveniently filled from the central reservoir.

Another object is to provide a package for multiple dispensers or applicators, which package also functions as a container for a pharmaceutical composition until such Still another object is to provide a package which maintains its contents in a sterile and effective condition up to the time of use.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a container for a therapeutic formulation and multiple applicators to dispense the same, the container being small in size and convenient to carry and use.

According to the present invention, it has been discovered that the therapeutic formulation may be stored in a central reservoir sealed with a sliding piston. An orifice through this piston permits dispensing the contents when the piston is depressed. A suitable number of disposable applicators may be stored between the reservoir and the container wall, and two holes in the top of the container permit removal of the applicators from storage and filling of the applicators from the reservoir.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the structure that is designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown in the drawing and that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described and illustrated herein within thescope of the claims which follow and without departing from the invention.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a container constructed according to the present invention;

an applicator from the container.

Referring now to Figure 1, numeral 10 denotes a cylindrical container which may be constructed of plastic, metal or any rigid material. The top cover of the container 11 has a central circular opening 12 and a second circular opening of equal diameter 14 between the opening 12 and the flange 13. This flange is indented as shown, the indentation engaging the under side of the projection 25 on the wall of container 10 when the top 11 is in place. The flange 13 and projection 25 cooperate in such a manner that the top cover may be freely rotated with respect to the body of the container.

The central reservoir 15 is retained in the center of the container by the spacers 16 and the resilient elastomer 17. The spacers 16 also receive the individual applicabetween the reservoir 15 and the outer wall of the container 10. When the container is closed and the top is in 'positiomthe applicators are forcedagain'stthetop ofthe container by the compressed elastorner 17.

Thereservoir 15contains a therapeutic formulation 19 "and is substantially sealed'by' the movable piston 20. A

tube 21 slightly smaller in diameter than the -applicator 18 passes through the piston 20. The central opening12 in the top cover is'slightly larger in diameter than the applicator -18 and is axially aligned with the tube 21. 'Theo'pening 14 in the top cover 11 is of the same diameter "as'the openinglZ and is so positionedbetween the center opening 12 and the flange 13 that upon rotation of the top cover, this opening moves into axial'alignment with I the individual applicators-'18.

Figure 2 illustrates a two-part single use applicator "which maybe constructed of paper. The outer tube 22 is slightly shorter than the inner tube 23 and of such internal diameter as to provide asliding fit with the outsidecylindrical wall of the tube 23. The'end-24 of tube 23 is closed to form a piston.

'-Figure 3 illustrates the manner'of use of the container of the present invention. The top 11 is rotated until the opening 14 is aligned with one of the applicators. Expansion of the elastomer '17 projects the applicator through this opening, permitting it to be withdrawn for filling. Figure 3 also indicates the 'method of filling an applicator of the type illustrated inFigure 2, The applieator is passed through the central opening 12 so that the lower end 22 of the applicator engages the tube 21. Pressure on the applicator in the direction indicated by the arrow moves the piston downward and forces the therapeutic'formulation through the tube 21, filling applicator 18 and moving the inner tube '23 of the applicator to its extended position.

In use, the applicator is inserted into a body cavity to the extent desired and the pharmaceutical formulation is discharged into the cavity by telescoping the inner tube 23 within the outer tube 22. When the contents of the tube-have been discharged, the applicator may be disposed of in any suitable manner since it is contemplated that it will be used only on a single occasion.

Referring-to the resilient elastomer 17, it will be noted that this material may be foamed rubber or any similar material that will exert pressure against the bottom'of the applicators, forcing them upward against the top 11. Alternatively,'-a metallic spring may be substituted for the elastomer. If desired, stoppers or other closure members for the openings 12 and 14 may be provided to reduce the loss of volatile components of the pharmaceutical composition that might otherwise escape through the tube 21.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principal objects of the invention-have been accomplished and that numerous and various changes and modifications 'may be made in the embodiments of the invention herein described and that the invention is capable of use and has advantages not specifically described herein. It

will, therefore, be appreciated that the herein made dis closures are to be construed in the nature of illustration only and that the invention is to be limited or delineated only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cylindrical container, suitable for storing a plurality of applicators and a pharmaceutical composition, fitted with a topcover having-a central.circularlopening, aperipheral circular opening and a flange that'engages a projection on the container wall and permits rotation of the top cover with respect to the container; a centrally positioned reservoirwithin the container, a piston'slidably mounted within th'e reservoirfatube extending upwardly through the piston in axial alignment with the central opening in the top cover; a series of tubular applicators concentrically positioned upright between the reservoir' and the container wall at such'a distance'from' the center of the container that the applicator'may' be aligned with the peripheral circular'opening by rotating. the top cover-with respect to the container at least one'spa'cing niembe'r'holding said tubular applicators in pos'itiong'and 'resilientmeans'at the bottom of the container forcingsaid applicators against the top cover, and functioning to eject "an applicator through the top cover'when said cover is rotated to align an applicator with the peripheral circular opening.

2. A cylindrical container, suitable for storing"a=plurality 'of'applicators and a. pharmaceutical composition,

positioned reservoir within the container, a piston'slidably mounted within the reservoir, a tube extending upwardly through thepiston in'axial alignment withthecentral opening in the top cover; a series'of-tubular applicators concentrically positioned upright between the reservoir and the container wall at such a distance from the center of the container that theapplicator maybe aligned with the peripheral circular openingby rotating the top cover with respect to the container; at least one spacing member holding said tubular applicators in position anda resilient means at the bottom of the container forcing said applicators against the top cover said peripheral opening being larger in diameter than the tubular applicators to permit ejection of an applicator when the top cover is rotated to align an applicator with the peripheral opening; and said tube being smaller indiameter than the tubular applicators to permit filling of an applicator when placed over said tube and forced against the piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Oden Oct. 22, 1 957 

